Questions pertaining to characteristics of armed forces' structure, manpower, equipment, or expenditures.
13
votes
5answers
1k views
Why weren't aircraft carriers utilized during D-day?
Why were aircraft carriers not used during and following D-Day? They could have added a great deal of range to the air support operations.
10
votes
1answer
138 views
Are there examples of well known medieval battles with very little archaeological evidence?
When I was researching the history of The Battle of Kulikovo (битва на Куликовом поле), I was struck by the seemingly complete dearth of available archaeological evidence at the site of the battle ...
11
votes
8answers
270 views
Is there a confirmed historic record of using “non-standard” live animals for military purposes?
Is there a confirmed historic record of using "non-standard" live animals for military purposes?
To clarify, the following doesn't count due to either being standard or non-military:
"Standard" ...
1
vote
0answers
82 views
What was the end of Indian Army Leader Netaji Subash Chandra Bose? [closed]
I heard many things about Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, He was a great and brave man in india. But i dont the end of that great leader. Anyone Knows this..
4
votes
1answer
163 views
Were sailing ships of the line understaffed with gunnery crews so that there were not enough for 2 broadsides?
Is there any data to support or refute the hypothesis that sailing ships of the line were only complemented with enough gunnery crews to simultaneously fire 1 broadside but not 2?
If it matters for ...
4
votes
1answer
84 views
Explosive Ordinance Yield Over History
I'm writing an essay, and one of the elements of it has to do with the development of military technology throughout history. I've noticed that there is a quickly increasing and disturbing trend in ...
12
votes
2answers
731 views
Why did the Moors invade the Iberian peninsula?
Almost all of the information that I can find with regards to the Moorish invasion of the Iberian Peninsula simply states when the Moors invaded. There seems to be very little on what the motivation ...
9
votes
3answers
378 views
What Are the Dynamics of A “Forced March?”
In the "Art of War," Sun Tzu opined that if you put your army on a forced march of a certain speed, you will lose one-third of your troops along the way. A rough rule of thumb was that an army would ...
9
votes
4answers
495 views
What new technology/tactics allowed the breakthrough of the trenches in WW I western front?
Reading the answers to this question about WW1 Western Front, it appears that breaking through the trenches was a very difficult task to do. How did the Allies finally make it? Was it the invention of ...
10
votes
1answer
545 views
“Musketeer” beard, mustache and hairdress - where did they originate?
This is a portrait of typical French musketeer, with typical triangle beard, mustache and long wavy hairs.
I wonder where this fashion originates from? Is not it the Byzantine Empire where such ...
7
votes
3answers
163 views
How does a country give “aid” to another?
This may not be historical because it's a contemporary event. However, it's been going on for a while. Suharto said, "No to your aids" (or something like that).
For instance. Say US gives aid to ...
12
votes
2answers
346 views
Why was the Western Front so static in World War I?
Once the German advance was halted, neither side could seriously advance for two years. This seems like an extraordinarily long time. Why didn't anyone succeed at going around the trenches or striking ...
8
votes
2answers
262 views
What was the first battle in history fought by vast-majority-% “distance-shooting” non-mechanized force?
Historically, armies usually had a balance between warriors with projectile weapons (bows/guns) and close combat edged weapons (sword/pike/axe etc...).
This was necessary because ranged weapons of ...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
Is/were there cases of hazing and violence against younger conscripts in armies of Arabic countries?
Is/were there cases of hazing and violence against younger conscripts in armies of Arabic countries?
It is often advertised in the media that there are no such things in Israeli army, but what about ...
10
votes
3answers
174 views
Was there any separation between hunting bow technology and weapon bows?
Was there a clear trend throughout early history (say, before 1300 for Europe) to have (or ot have) separate technologies/materials for bows and arrows for hunting purposes, and same-period ...
9
votes
1answer
207 views
Could the Russians Have Done Better at the Battle of Tsushima Straits Than They Actually Did?
In 1905, during the Russo-Japanese War, a Russian fleet sailing all the way from the Baltic was annihilated by the Japanese fleet in the Tsushima Straits. The Russian fleet was larger, with thirteen ...
9
votes
2answers
297 views
Wiliam Wallace vs. Robert Bruce: Why Did One Win and One Lose?
At the battle of Falkirk in 1298, William Wallace (aka "Brave Heart") abandoned the guerrilla tactics that served him so well at Stirling Bridge, and adopted a strong, but "conventional" defensive ...
6
votes
3answers
275 views
Can One Use Attrition Tactics When There are No Other Clear Means to Win a War.?
In 1864, General Ulysees S. Grant began the "final campaign" against Richmond using a war of attrition. That's because of the Union's 2-to-1 numerical advantage against a qualitatively superior ...
5
votes
2answers
384 views
About Naval Formations?
What are the differences between the "line ahead" and "line abreast" formations in naval warfare? Which is more likely to lead to the (advantageous) of "crossing the opponents' T" (or being crossed)?
8
votes
1answer
136 views
How Did Modern Weapons Change the Dynamics of City Fighting?
In medieval times, an attacking army that had breached the walls/outer defense of a city, could enter it and overrun the defenders at relatively little cost.
A major modern exception was the battle ...
8
votes
1answer
116 views
What Factors Contributed to the Success of Certain “Long March” Strategies?
In the middle of the 100 years' War, France's Bertrand du Guesclin reportedly used "countermarch" tactics successfully against the English. Another example was General National Greene's "March to the ...
5
votes
1answer
305 views
What rank is S. SGT in the Army Air Force during WW2?
I am looking over my Grandfather's DD214 (Military Discharge Paperwork) from WW2. His grade says "S. SGT" I am trying to figure out his rank conclusively. Nowhere on the DD214 does it display an E-5 ...
6
votes
2answers
331 views
When was the last cavalry charge?
When was the last instance of a unit of cavalry charging? I know that the Polish forces had units of cavalry during World War II and those were used against Nazi units but was there any later than ...
